Edvard Grieg; Camille Saint-Saëns - Piano Concertos (Suzana Bartal)

Information

Composer: Edvard Grieg; Camille Saint-Saëns

• Grieg - Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
• Saint-Saëns - Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22

Suzana Bartal, piano

Saarländisches Staatsorchester

Sébastien Rouland, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Channel Classics

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French-Hungarian pianist Suzana Bartal collaborates with conductor Sébastien Rouland and the Saarländische Staatsorchester in a recording of two Romantic masterpieces: Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor and Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor. Initially met with lukewarm reception at its premiere, Saint-Saëns’ Second Concerto later became the most beloved of his five piano concertos. Grieg’s A minor Concerto, praised by Liszt for its brilliance upon its creation in 1870, remains one of the most iconic and frequently performed works in the piano repertoire, celebrated for its lyrical beauty and powerful Nordic character.

French-Hungarian pianist Suzana Bartal was born in Timişoara, Romania, and began her musical training there, giving her first solo recital at 12 and concerto debut at 13. She later studied in France with Denis Pascal, Pierre Pontier, and Florent Boffard, and at Yale University with Peter Frankl, earning a Doctorate of Musical Arts and the Harriet Gibbs Memorial Prize. Winner of several international competitions, including the New York Concert Artists Concerto Competition, Bartal performs widely as soloist and chamber musician with major orchestras and artists. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, she collaborates with leading composers. Her acclaimed recordings, including Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage and works by Eric Tanguy, have received major awards such as the Diapason d’Or of the Year 2022.